Just a Taste of a Dream
by LadydeTasil
Summary: Kicks off from the end of season 2. Elena is tormented by something other than the things that go bump in the night. Delena
1. Chapter 1

This is a little something I've had knocking around my head all day. It wouldn't be still until I had opened a blank word file and let it go its own way. I have a vague idea of where it might go but I'm going to let the characters do their own thing and see where it takes me and you for that matter.

Let me know what you think and in the meantime I'll let the plot scamper off like a bunch of frolicking rabbits and let them do their own thing ;)

Copyright: Not my own

**Just another day**

She had woken up crying again.

She had her good days and then like most teenagers there were the ego, or lack of, driven harder days. And yet she knew that it wasn't a phase of teenage angst that was driving her to distraction. In all honesty she couldn't tell you what it was even if she was asked. Each time it happened it felt like she had lost her parents all over again – only Jeremy, and Bonnie, and Caroline, and Matt … hell everyone she held near and dear were gone taken away from her from a force more powerful than she was. She would go to sleep, a deep fathomless place where images would flow and ebb and perform for her during her time there and then when time grew short they would vanish taking all understanding with them. Each time she would almost see the cause of all of this and it would be taken away from her with brutal intent. It refused to be understood or seen for longer than the time taken for the moon to wane. And it was driving her nuts.

Placing a less than steady hand to lay her palm against her salty wet cheeks she huffed frustrated at finding that yet again the images in her sleep were affecting her in the waking hours. Determined that today she would let them affect her day she threw the bed covers to the opposite side and set off to shower in the en-suite. Turning on the jets, she proceeded to brush her teeth and lay out what she would wear on the bed. Glaring at the bed once she has tossed her clothes on the bed she turned on her heel and finished cleansing herself from her nightly torments.


	2. Chapter 2

_I'm going to have to apologise to begin with. I'm not as familiar with US schools compared to UK schools and so despite getting the other half to read through and correct any he may have spotted, he may have missed a few._

_Anyway here is the next chapter. _

**A wonderland of make-believe**

For what felt like the millionth time since Stefan had left Elena retrieved her phone once she had parked in the high school car park and send Stefan a message.

_Are u ok? We are thinking about you. Get in touch it if it's safe. E x_

They hadn't heard a whisper from Stefan since he had bartered himself away to Klaus in return for Damon's life. Bonnie had scoured through grimoire after grimoire, performed séance after séance hoping to give them a clue as to where Stefan was and how they might defeat the Original Hybrid. Damon had tried to track his brother in the vain hope that together they might somehow turn the table on Stefan's new master and gain his freedom. But there was nothing to give them to lead that they were desperately searching for. No clues left by Stefan. No hint that he was alive and also looking for a way home to Mystic Falls. There was just silence.

She wouldn't give up and so each morning she would contact him. Leaving messages to let him know that he wasn't alone that they would come after him if he would let them know where he was. He would get in touch. He would. He just had to. They had all been through so much together that they had formed their own Scooby-crew of misfits who fought to keep their little town safe. There was always however some price to be paid. A life lost, a curse to neutralise and spell to cast and yet they paid it because there was no other way.

A stern tapping on her window almost caused Elena to shoot through the roof of her car. Looking up she caught a brief glance at a black shirt and a set of stormy blue eyes. Rolling down the electric window, Damon looked at her and smirked,

'You know if you're going to cut classes today its best not to park right in front of the school'

'What…' looking around the parking lot Elena noticed that the usual flow of students had disappeared inside the building.

'The alarm rang about 15 minutes ago' and still the smirk never left his face. Amazing what an infinite amount of time could do as it seemed obvious in Damon's case that he had spent at least half of his 150+ years looking in the mirror to perfect the perfect smirk and still be able to talk without dropping it for one moment.

Shrugging in Damon's direction she turned to retrieve her bag so that she could hide the chuckle that bubbled up her throat. For his part he heard her chuckle but didn't say anything about it. He didn't want her to realise that for a moment that she was happy whilst Stefan was somewhere doing no doubt some kind of dirty work for Klaus. She may not have realised it but she was showing the physical signs of the strain that they were all feeling over the past few months. She had got even thinner, pale under her olive skin and dark shadows had started to appear under her eyes.

Locking her car as she got out she turned to Damon just as he slipped the smirk back on his face. Gallantly he turned on his side to extend his arm for her. Taking it she let herself enjoy the innocent laugh that bubbled up this time and allowed Damon to escort her to the high school entrance. Afterall she was sick of worrying herself into a mind maze and wanted desperately to fool everyone into thinking she was fine. She couldn't however fool herself into thinking that she was succeeding. That thought was stopped even before it could be completed.

The day progressed faster once she refused to think about their situation for the next few hours - a haze of jocks, biology, lunch, over-crowded hallways and the intermittent alarm that signalled the progression of the day. She only flouted through a 'normal' teenage day. Who was she kidding?


	3. Chapter 3

_Okay here is the third and final one for tonight. I'll work on a few more chapters tomorrow. Hope you guys like this chapter_

**Routinely**

Since Jenna had passed Alaric had petitioned to become the legal guardian to the Gilbert siblings. Although Jenna hadn't specified the guardian in her will, which one of them would hold the position should the worst happen. Given that it had been just over 24 hours since she had found out about the existence of the supernatural she had only had a moment to scribble a clause that would allow the siblings to stay in Mystic Falls. They knew that Ric's petition would get thrown out but it would be enough to keep the pair in their parents' home until Elena turned 18. At which point she would be classed as the guardian of her brother and legal owner of her parents' home. Ric had argued, for appearance sake that he stay in the guest bedroom until Elena's senior year was over. Jenna's room had been left untouched and preserved whilst they all still grieved.

To help Jeremy and Elena retain a sense of routine they had kept to the tradition of having family night. Caroline would arrive with Bonnie each taking it in turn to clean up and prepare a meal although inevitably Caroline would be convinced that Bonnie hadn't yet reaching perfection and so would take everything over and do it her own way. Bonnie took her usual place sat beside Elena at the dining table and when Caroline wasn't looking leaned over to Elena to whisper,

'We're having red meat again this week!' Elena nodded in an exaggerated way as if they had just seen something completely outrageous that just had to be discussed in theatrical whispers.

'Please let it not be rare again' they both held their hands together in pray position and gazed adoringly at the ceiling.

'Oh you guys want it rare!' Caroline all smiles called over, 'Anything for you guys!'

A groan could be heard in the living room coming from the direction of the dining room. Luckily Ric popped his head round the door at this time,

'How about we head for the Grill instead? Save Caroline slaving away to feed the 5,000'. Instantly Bonnie and Elena jumped up from their seats and headed towards the front door grabbing their jackets on the way. They met Damon who was standing on the porch seemingly waiting for them.

'Thank you' they both mouthed as they walked passed him. He only smiled in his own way.

'I heard that!' Caroline called to them from the kitchen.

After an evening of dinner, banter and general laughs Damon volunteered to take Jeremy and Elena home as Ric had been called away. Elena had protested that she was more than able and willing to drive them both home. However Damon could see that she was exhausted.

As soon as they had closed the front door behind them Jeremy said good night and took the stairs two at a time to his room. Knowing what needed to be done to complete the evening Damon headed to the kitchen whilst Elena headed towards the tv. By the time she had chosen a movie with both action and some cheesy couple moments, Damon had come into the living room with a steaming bowl of butter popcorn and homemade lemonade. Taken back slightly to see the lemonade in Damon's hands Elena raised an eyebrow silently asking where the lemons had come from. Damon just shrugged and set everything down on the coffee table and went back to the kitchen to get the glass tumblers. By the time he came back Elena was sat on the sofa with her legs curled under her, flipping through the trailers at the beginning of the movie.

Sat next to each other they watched the movie in companiable silence each of them keeping to their side of the sofa whilst munching through the generous bowl of popcorn. They laughed at the poorly written puns, winced at some of the action sequences when a particularly jarring shot hit a nerve with them and clapped when the hero got the girl. In silence Damon kept an eye on Elena as she struggled to keep awake at the beginning of the second movie. Silently he held his breathe as Elena's head nodded close to his shoulder and finally touched down. Just like every other family night Damon carried Elena up to her room whilst she slept deeply. And just like every other morning after family night Elena would wake up not remembering coming to bed the night before and still fully clothed.


	4. Chapter 4

No matter how hard she strove for normality it didn't seem to ever be quite within her grasp. Each night she would be visited by the same torments and each morning she would try her hardest to shrug them off and carry on. But she had started to admit gradually over the next few weeks that no matter how hard she fought her tormenters, it was beginning to take its toll on her. She had also noticed a few changes in Jeremy. He had become secretive, nervous and isolated from everyone. At first they put it down to his grieving for Jenna but there was no let-up in the initial shock and anguish they had all felt when it had just happened. Sighing Elena couldn't help but think derisively, never a dull moment around here.

It was the weekend and so school was out for the next few days. Heading to the kitchen she hoped that she could catch Jeremy before he headed out for the day. Seeing him placing his plate in the sink Elena chimed in quickly to get his attention.

'Morning Jere.'

'Hey. Bonnie wanted to try a new locator spell she found in one of the older grimoires. She's hoping that by trying it on a smaller scale she might be able to control and influence the course the spell takes. ' Elena nodded as she poured a cup of coffee whilst Jeremy explained his plans for the day. She had spoken to Bonnie the day before about her concern for Jeremy. The spell she would be testing today was also a way to find what was tormenting Jeremy. They knew that something else had come back with him when Emily helped Bonnie to bring him back from the dead. Something had to be done since they had both heard Jeremy talking to something that no one else could see.

'Don't let her go too far Jere'

'It's alright Elena. Things will work out.' Smiling in a way that hinted that maybe he had been spending a bit too much time with Damon he added, 'it usually does'. Giving him a quick hug Elena whispered 'be safe' and he left out the back door.

Elena stood in the kitchen looking out the kitchen window her coffee completely forgotten. She didn't see the beautiful sunshine or the clear blue sky. She didn't see the rather fuzzy bumble bee struggling to get to its chosen sunflower nor laugh as his weight caused him to veer and miss yet again. All that played on her mind was everything that had happened and all that was yet to come. Where was Stefan? Would they ever see him again? What was Klaus making him do and what was his ultimate goal? If Klaus had truly achieved what he wanted to achieve then he wouldn't be coming back with Stefan in tow, would he? Has Stefan lost himself in the process of becoming what Klaus had demanded?

They were made aware of the bargain Stefan had struck to save his brother's life. Damon had been able to track Katherine a few days after his recovery and she had made it quite plain that there would be no more owing of favours once she had revealed the exchange between Klaus and Stefan. One thing was certain. It would be near impossible to find Stefan unless he wanted to be found. Until then they would carry on, keeping an eye out for any clue to get Stefan back with them. There was a chance that whatever Klaus made him do would impact him greatly. He may think he can never go back to them, to the way things were before.

She realised however that he wasn't the only one who was in the process of moving on. Hadn't she just asked Jeremy to make sure that Bonnie didn't go too far? Was that her concern for her friend speaking or was she starting to, on a sub-conscious level, start to do what she consciously could not. They would always hope but there were still lives to be lived in the meantime.

When she was finally able to snap herself away from her thoughts, thoughts that always seemed to be in the habit of veering towards Stefan; she called Caroline to arrange a girl's day out. Between them they made plans to go see a movie and then head for something to eat at the Grill. It was over sooner that they both thought and Elena headed home within a few hours of leaving the house. Elena had enjoyed her time with Caroline but her friend was starting to get peckish, and not for human food. There was also an assignment that needed to be handed in that week and there was nothing like a stressful research project to make you feel like your average teenager in high school.

A few hours later when she was happy that she had gotten a good enough head start on the assignment she headed to the bathroom to shower. After checking the temperature of the water jets with her hand she got undressed and jumped in. Once she acclimatised to the jets of water hitting her body she began to shampoo and condition her hair. Despite being clean she couldn't help but languish under the jets as they eased the tension she hadn't been aware she was carrying around with her. With her eyes closed she sighed as the jets pummelled her tense shoulders whilst the heated water soothed. The last thing on her mind was getting out of the shower and going to sleep. So she stayed right under the water and allowed the bathroom to fill with steam and fog up the mirror.

The way that the water felt against her skin she could almost imagine that the water was smoothing over her in a type of caress. A firm but gently hand easing away the horror and tension of the past few months; a need to comfort her in a way she hadn't felt for quite some time. At first the caress feathered along her bare arms sliding sinuously down almost as if trying to get her attention. She found herself leaning into the caress just as the caress returned sliding back up her arms. She didn't fall back into the cold tile surface but a warm tender embrace that secured her from falling back further. She was able to lie back into the caress as the hands continued to trace the curve of her arms. Exposing her neck she felt something raspy slide down the side of her neck and along the curve of her neck to her shoulders and back again. As the cares returned to her neck she heard an intake of breathe and a gruff contented growl. So content was she lying in the warm embrace that she did not really comprehending what she had heard until there was a whisper in her ear,

' I have found you again.'


	5. Chapter 5

Ok here is the next chapter. I hope you like! If you do send me your love :)

Copyright: Not mine but L. J. Smith

**Blissful Distortion**

For the first time since Stefan had left Elena found a peace in the most unlikely of places. For months now she had been dreading the time of day when the sun would set, leaving her in a world where daylight would be drained out of her little town and leaving her alone with the night terrors she knew would come to her. Her courage had begun to waver and the mask that she had been wearing in front of her dear friends and remaining family was beginning to slip. But now there was a blissful feeling of nothingness.

After her encounter in the shower a black vacuum that had engulfed her had somehow distanced her from the emotions that were threatening to overwhelm her. Everything that had happened to her seemed to have been picked up, moved to a spot in front of her in a hazy cloud of vapour. She found that she could concentrate and draw the floating cloud to her, observe the event that it contained and simply dismiss it to call forth another. She found that she had a type of omnipotence over the thoughts, feelings, and experiences. The most refreshing part of her current location was that she had been relieved of the burden of feeling anything she did not want to feel. There was no emotional pull to the darker emotions only a contented calm that saturated her whole body. Her calm wasn't at all affected by the things she saw and she began to weep with relief. Closing her eyes she decided to dismiss the hovering clouds which promptly faded to non-existence and revel in her zen like state.

Of course the calm that she was now experiencing was not something that she would be permitted to keep. But she'd be damned if she wasn't going to fight for it.

Jeremy was frantic as he stood there trying to think of what to do next. Instead he ran his hands through his hair and waited. Realising that that wasn't helping to ease the tension he felt he began to pace instead. Once the few seconds of pacing had passed he was back to square one. Luckily at this point he felt a shift in his awareness as the hairs on the back of his neck stood completely to attention. Turning so that he was facing the front door Jeremy swiftly took a step back as he noticed that Damon had arrived without taking the courtesy of knocking on the door. He had merely stormed through and stood inches away from Jeremy. His usual smirk has been stripped from his face and instead he seemed to scowl at his.

'Where is she?' he snarled at Jeremy.

Instead of answering Jeremy shifted his position slightly to the left so that he wasn't blocking his access to the stairs. Taking the hint Damon leaped up the stairs taking three steps at a time. Belatedly realising that Damon would never actually attack him, Jeremy shock himself out of it and headed up the stairs after him. When he finally caught up he found Damon leaning over Elena who had been lain out on her bed covered in the sheet sized towel. Gently he traced his index finger across her forehead sweeping a lock of hair that had fallen across her face he traced further down to search for a pulse at her neck. Damon stopped short of checking her for injuries with her brother present and so turning his head slightly he asked Jeremy what had happened. Jeremy heaved a sigh as he began to explain.

'Honestly man.' Stuttering slightly he seemed at a loss to where to start. 'I don't know. One minute I'm getting impatient to use our bathroom and head over to the door to let her know that she's been in there a while. The next thing I know I hear a noise followed by a thud and she didn't answer when I asked if she was ok.' Walking over to the bathroom to look for anything that might suggest what might have happened Damon noticed that the door had been forced in from the outside and was barely hanging on to the last hinge attached to the frame. Impressed he turned to Jeremy to show his approval. Jeremy couldn't help but blush slightly at the approval he saw on Damon's face.

'Huh…um … yeah I got a bit worried,' he shrugged, 'I don't remember doing it only that I was once on the other side of the closed door and the next I found Elena collapsed in the shower. She would have killed me if I had gone through her room.' The thought sobered them both and Jeremy continued to explain what had happened,

'She was just lying there so I quickly grabbed the biggest towel I could find, turned off the shower and picked her up as best I could. She was so still. Alaric was called away again, Caroline wasn't answering her phone and Bonnie is at the old house conversing with the ghosties. I didn't know what else to do'

Looking very much like the boy who had just lost his parents all over again Damon stepped closer to Jeremy and placed a reassuring hand of his shoulder and squeezed slightly.

'Great to know I'm your fail-safe kid' he tried lightening the mood.

Smiling sheepishly again Jeremy responded without hesitation, 'Actually you were the first one I called. I didn't realise what everyone else was doing until after I had called you.'

Still in shock when Jeremy left the room, Damon headed back to where Elena still slept. Her hair had begun to dry and he didn't feel comfortable letting her lie in a wet towel sheet. After making sure that the sheet wouldn't move he picked her up, sheet and all, pulled her bed covers away so that he could place her more comfortably in the dry warm bed. Once she was covered by the bed linen Damon put his hand under the covers, grasped the corner of the damp towel and steadily began to pull the damp sheet out so that her body was entirely covered and warm. Throughout this entire process Damon was grateful that Jeremy hadn't returned and Elena hadn't woken up. His reputation, what was left of it, would have been entirely shattered if anyone thought for a moment that he had an ounce of gallantry. But then he didn't particularly like the thought of ogling Elena whilst she was unconscious.

_Oh wait. I've done that already, _he smirked to himself.

Shrugging off his own amusement he realised that he needed to get to the bottom of what had happened. So far there had been no clue to hint at foul play, no trace had been left behind by someone who may have been in the house. Taking a deep breathe he realised that he would need to see the events for himself. Thankfully Elena had stopped wearing the necklace Stefan had given her and so once he had centred himself, he focused intently to entire Elena's mind. And found absolutely nothing there.

Panicking he pulled himself back out threw himself across the room, grabbed her wrist again searching for a pulse. He could see her steady rise and fall of her chest that told him she was breathing, if slightly shallower than a human at rest. She was alive yet there was no emotion or thoughts or even dreams to be found in her. Swearing emphatically at the situation that was current beyond him he progressed to full blown panic and resorted to grasping her shoulders and shaking her slightly.

'Elena, you wake up! Do you hear me? Your brother is worried sick he bulldozed the bathroom door to get to you. Are you going to let him wallow in his worry for you? Wake up!'

No response.

_Ok guilt's not working how about pleading_ he thought

Taking a deep breathe he tried to calm down 'you really do need to wake up. I know that there is something going on that you don't want to discuss but cutting us out won't make it go away. I should know.' Leaning closer he again moved the stubborn strand of hair that had yet again fallen across her forehead. Looking at her, he couldn't help but stroke her cheek. Breaking all barriers he leaned over to place his cheek next to hers as he placed his lips close enough to whisper,

'Come back to us. Come back to me.'

For a moment there was silence as she again didn't respond to his call. Then he heard a grudging grumble of,

'Five more minutes'

**Ok that's it for this chapter. Not sure what you guys think of its progression so far so review – they make my day .**


	6. Chapter 6

**Ok that's it for this chapter. Not sure what you guys think of its progression so far so review – they make my day **

Chapter 6 - Turbulence

_Warning: I've been listening to my playlist on YouTube having already started this chapter and suffice it so say that things may get a bit turbulent. You've been warned. Having said that here is another chapter. Enjoy!_

After Elena's eloquent dismissal Damon decided that he should let Jeremy know that she was fine. Heading towards her bedroom door he couldn't help but glance over at her to make sure that she was fine before he left. He had been so worried about her. She had gone through a lot over the past year and he couldn't help but notice that there was something that was really unsettling her. For now, with Ric away on his latest lead, he would stay tonight and look over them both relieved that she would be out of danger.

Having reached the bottom of the stairs Damon found Jeremy staring pensively through the kitchen window. Coming up behind him purposely making a noise as he went, Damon placed a hand on his shoulder,

'She's fine. I'll stay here tonight so why don't you get some rest. I know that Bonnie won't find you half as delectable if you're semi-conscious and staring into space'

'I'll have you know she finds me irresistible. Conscious or otherwise' giving a light smirk Jeremy turned and headed for his room. Pausing briefly he couldn't help but say thank you to Damon.

_Not that it's required_, he thought. He had been torn between heading over and staying at the boarding house before he received the call for Jeremy but he had been set clear boundaries by Elena. With Jenna's passing, Ric's legal battle for guardianship over the Gilberts and Stefan's disappearance, they could all do with maintaining the sense of normality for as long as possible.

But then since when did Damon ever do anything for the sake of normality - maybe for an easier life, in pursuit of a goal or generally for his own amusement. Or more recently for Elena's sake.

Thinking over the past few months he realised that the only selfish action he had taken was to hunt down Katherine in the hope that she might tell him where he might find his spineless brother. Ok he has saved his life but did it not occur to him that he didn't have to keep his word. If he had told him what had happened with Klaus, the Scooby gang would have been rallied and a solution found. But no, Saintly Stefan had to be the martyr and leave a grief-stricken Elena and co for him to deal with. They had crossed swords with Klaus quite a few times and of course Damon had a few aces to play. Even if no one else was aware of it, he wouldn't stand by any longer maintaining the distance that Elena had dictated to him. He wouldn't watch from the shadows while she withdrew away from them and towards something that he couldn't seem to put a finger on. The attack on her tonight had not been by forced entry into their home. It had been a metaphysic presence that had touched her whilst awake and drew her into a place even he couldn't reach. What unnerved him was that he wasn't sure what had drawn her back to herself.

Pulling out his cell he began dialling a number and proceeded to call in a few 'favours'.

Gradually the sun began to stream through Elena's window . The warmth comforted Elena as she basked in the morning sun and at her own pace began to surface from her slumber. Opening her eyes she sighed in complete contentment. She hadn't slept that deeply for such a long time that she was reluctant to welcome the morning with the usual rituals of clothing and breakfast. She was awake wasn't she? So instead she arched and stretched under the sunlight that filtered in through the window . Like any content being she basked in the warmth provided by the morning sunlight.

'Good morning, kitty cat'

Sitting bolt upright Elena turned to see Damon coming into her room. There was a smirk on his face but his eyes didn't reflect the candour he was going for. She paused in her greeting to think what might have caused such an expression. They hadn't argued, he hadn't done anything typically Damon in the past few months and so she was at a loss as to what was going on. Going over the last day or so she remembered meeting with Caroline, coming home and working on an assignment then having a shower. She gasped as a thought came to her.

'The shower!'

Damon came across the room using his preternatural speed to sit beside her on the bed grasping her hands gently to steady her.

He asked, 'What do you remember?'

Realising that she didn't remember how she came to be in her bed and thought it best to start from the beginning.

'I remember… I had finished working on an assignment and headed to the bathroom to clean up before bed'. She stopped to see whether there was a corny remark coming her way. Once she saw that Damon's attention was focused entirely on her. Going back to her memories of the previous night she found herself drawn in.

'There was something in there with me'

'What was it? A vampire? A werewolf? What was it?'

Shaking her head she continued, 'none of those. It didn't mean any harm but rather to com… sooth'

' Sooth? Elena your brother found you unconscious in the shower. Whatever was in there with you seemed to have some kind of reason to be there and I find it hard to believe that it was to be' he almost chocked before he spat out the word, ' soothing' . He decided not to mention the fact that she felt the need to be comforted. He would have hoped that she could come to him with whatever had been bothering her. After all he had waited patiently for just that. He would just have to do the Damon thing. Looking at her he tried to pick up on anything else she wasn't saying. Silently Elena fumed that Damon did not believe her but she knew that no harm was meant by whatever had appeared to her.

Ending the conversation she decided that she needed to get ready for the day. She was about to get out of bed when she realised she wasn't wearing anything. Thankfully she had remained covered by her comforter whilst she had been talking to Damon and it dawned on her just how worried Damon had been to not have mentioned or even taken advantage of her current state of dress.

'Damon, can you wait for me downstairs?'

'Has kitty misplaced her fur?' he shot her a brooding look as he tipped his head down slightly to give her the distinct feeling she was prey.

'Out!'

Of course he didn't move but it didn't matter. Getting out of bed she wrapped the sheet around her slinging the excess material over her left should, walked to her wardrobe, picked what she wanted to wear for the day and headed over to the bathroom. Just before she passed the threshold she noticed that the door, Jeremy had apparently broken to get to her, was fixed. Turning to Damon she asked what happened with only a look. He shrugged casually,

'I thought it better to get it fixed whilst you slept so that you might have some privacy between the two rooms. Plus if anything did decide to happen I can always knock it through again.' He was casually making his way over to her with a steady almost sauntering pace.

_What is he up to? _She wondered. Shaking off her thoughts she asked, 'You fixed this? Whilst I was asleep? But I didn't hear a thing.'

By now he was stood right in front of her leaning ever so slightly towards her but not touching. She had been cornered against the door to the bathroom with her back pressed up against wood and from the feel of it, iron seemed to block the path in front of her. There was comfort in the warmth he gave off as he braced his arms on either side of her. But despite being cornered she had never felt calm.

'With over an eternity to spend with no real occupation, you should know that it can get pretty boring quite easily.' He smirked, 'even for me'.

'Are you telling me that you know carpentry?' her question gave him the invitation he had been waiting for. Bringing up his right hand he gently swiped a lock of hair off her cheek from when she had whipped her head around to ask him her questions. Her skin was soft to the touch not that it surprised him. He had touched her on a number of occasions and he found that only with her was he happy to find that what you saw when you looked at Elena was what you got - her soft, gentle sun-kissed skin with proportionate curves and a fierce fire and loyalty glaring out of her big brown eyes. Whatever was stalking her wouldn't succeed no matter its motive. She wasn't going anywhere.

'I'm very good with my hands, Elena, and they prefer to stay occupied'. With that said he winked and left the room.

After an exit like that, Elena couldn't help but gape after him. He hadn't flirted with her for months. Since Stefan had left he had become one of her best friends. She couldn't however just stand there in the in-between. Knowing Damon he would do the unexpected and appear in front of her again. With that in mind she retreated into the bathroom, closed and locked the door.

After her experience last night she didn't want to worry Jeremy or Damon by taking another shower this morning. Although her experience hadn't been particularly unpleasant for her, she would seriously consider another shower later on to see if it might lead to another blissful night of sleep.

_Those arms_

They were warm, strong and almost familiar. They held her so tight and gradually the body heat had crept from his skin through to her own almost like her favourite blanket straight from the dryer when she was a little girl.

_Wait his?_

She realised that there were definitely male arms that had held her. The warmth similar to that of an impossibly warm body and there was no denying that husky whisper. Or for that matter the purely masculine growl of approval that pre-empted the words he spoke. And yet she wasn't afraid of the being nor of the experience that had granted her the rest she had so desperately needed. She knew that if she had continued to go on without sleep that she would have burnt herself out. Despite wanting to protect her loved ones she knew that even by hiding what she was feeling and the horrors she had seen she would ultimately do exactly what she set out to avoid. Her breakdown would mean, ultimately, further suffering for those that cared for her.

She needed to face this if it was going to end. She wasn't sure if the horrors she had seen and experienced in her dreams were the coming from the same source as the security and contentment she had felt. Deep down she felt that the two were separate if by nothing more than their contrary nature. Given the fact that her experiences had not been entirely physical. It had been whilst she was unconscious and so possibly spiritual in nature. She needed to speak to someone who understood the forces of nature, the seen and the unseen. She had to speak to Bonnie.

It was time to face her nightmare once more.

Damon wasn't the only one that had been keeping an eye on Elena. The symptoms of her experiences had ben watched and noted as they had progressed.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7 – They came to play

After speaking with Bonnie they had decided to meet at the cemetery near the graves of Elena's parents. Strangely Bonnie had thought that whatever was stalking Elena would not attack her near consecrated ground. Given that Elena had always felt safe and centred when near her parents it was one of the few aces they held that they could use for now. Someplace they know they wouldn't be disturbed. Elena has stopped on her way there to pick up a few sweetpeas for her parents. Once she had pulled up on the gravel path she set off towards the graves laden with blankets, her journal and a few candles. Once there she began to set up whilst waiting for her friend. Looking at her watch she noticed that Bonnie was running late and so she did what she always did when she was here. She knelt in front of the grave and spoke to her parents. She told them about everything that had happened since her last visit - how Jeremy was doing and Alaric's progress with the adoption.

'I miss you guys,' she verdantly whispered to them.

'There has been so much going on that its becoming difficult to remember what normal is. But you know, I won't be without the good things I have found. Everything in nature must be balanced, remember Dad, that's what you always said. You were right. There are a few things that have happened since Aunt Jenna passed. Some good…but mainly bad. But last night… last night,' she couldn't carry on. The experience last night had been a haven compared to the torment and horror she had seen each night. She had never felt anything as intense, secure and all-consuming as what she has felt last night. She knew that without it she would have broken. Silently and alone.

_So very much alone,_ the voice whispered in her ear.

Closing her eyes once she realised she could no longer see the graves in front of her. They were distorted by the tears that were gathering. She hadn't cried since Jenna's funeral and now after supressing them for so long, she couldn't stop them. They swelled inside her chest and burst out of her with all the force of a flood. She cried for Jeremy who couldn't remain naïve, who had lost several people to whom he had opened up his heart and lost them through no fault of his own, to forces he had absolutely no power over. She cried for Matt who struggled around Caroline though it was evident that he still loved her. They had both struggled to piece together their friendship one painful pebble at a time. The Sheriff had refused to acknowledge Caroline as anything other than a monster to be put out of her misery at the first opportunity. Her heart broke whenever she came across Ric in solitary moments where she glimpsed the deep well of sorrow within him. Moments where he still grieved openly but only for a small amount of time yet so deeply that to look at him was to share the moment as equal in understanding and fresh grief. His sorrow was not spoken nor in sobs but rather in silent moment of complete standstill. His eyes would flood with such despair, love and eternal heartbreak yet she had only glimpsed it once or twice over the past few months.

And then there was Damon. He had changed over the past few months and she wasn't naïve enough to believe that he had changed utterly from the cunning , malevolent, sociopath that had arrived in Mystic Falls. Yet he was one of her dearest friends. The burden left on her shoulders since Stefan had left had been shared and, if truth be told, he had carried the majority of the burden. He had been patient, understanding and always there when she wanted to reach out to him. But she never did. She couldn't allow herself to give in to the desire to lean on him too much however much she wanted to. How much she wanted to lean on him. It made her feel utterly selfish to think on it and realise that the comfort she needed would take advantage of his feelings for her. She needed him in ways she couldn't tell him. In ways that would be sure to complicate their relationship if she was to reach out to him.

She refused to equate her feelings for Damon into something tangible. She couldn't face losing someone she held dearer to her than … she wouldn't finish that thought. She would just take her moment, get it out of her system, clean her face and carry on. It was expected if not by everyone else then definitely of herself.

But for now she cried.

Wearing her grief, anguish and pain like a cloak she didn't hear anyone approaching. Not until she felt a hand grasp her shoulder. Surprise caused her to turn around quickly to see who it was only to find a pair of concerned brown eyes and the soft features of one of her best friends. Bonnie didn't see Elena when she had arrived at the cemetery. The only clue she had that what she was seeing was Elena was that they had agreed to meet at her parents resting place. She had been covered in a shroud of black fog that seemed to thicken the longer she watched. Her innate abilities allowed her to cut through the shroud and get to her friend but now that she was closer to her she saw everything that had been hidden inside her friend all this time. The anguish she had gone through was painful to look at and everything about that look of pain and despair called to Bonnie. The need to comfort, protect and cherish. She shot forward grasping her friend to her in a deep bear hug. But despite feeling the sorrow in Elena subside the shroud wasn't lifting from around them. It seemed to be refusing to leave them. Looking within arm's reach of them she saw that Elena had brought a set of blankets, one for each of them. Since Bonnie had arrived late the blanket had laid in wait but seeing it now made her think of something she had read about in the Gran's grimoire. Grasping it to her she flung the blanket over them both so that they were covered and hoped that she had remembered the spell correctly.

_Videatur Lumine_

_Lumen splendere_

_haec caligo oculis tuis dimittere_

Repeating the incantation she felt the swell of her magic being called forth and with each repetition she knew that she had remembered the right spell. Despite the density of the fog around them they could gradually see that there was a faint light building within the palm of Bonnie's hand. By now the incantation had been repeated enough for Elena to grasp the words. Turning to face Bonnie she saw the nod that Bonnie gave her and started to recite the incantation in time with Bonnie placing her hand underneath the hand that held the light. The light gradually grew stronger, larger and brighter until Bonnie knew that it was ready she flung her hand away from them both with Elena's hand lending further strength to the spell. As she stretched her hand out as far as it would go Bonnie called out the final command of the spell.

_Luminos!_

With the final command given the magic was drawn from a deep well within both Elena and Bonnie and the light shot out from them. It expanded through the fog blazing a trail that as it grew disintegrating a path in the fog that engulfed them much like a pebble that had been thrown seamlessly over the surface of a river. The light grew so bright that their both grasped onto each other hiding their closed eyes in each other's shoulders. They didn't see the light change course and shoot upwards, expanded outwards and disintegrated every trace of black fog that had grown to engulf the cemetery. After a few minutes the girls found that they were able to open their eyes without encountering the light that had just a moment ago shone so brightly that it threatened to burn out their retinas. Both were breathing heavily as the adrenaline coursed through them and gradually loosened their arms around each other. Looking at each other they both smiled in relief and couldn't help but give a nervous giggle that started to grow into a full out laugh. Whatever had happened they had stopped it together. With magic. Neither of them could think of anything to say.

'Well played you two but still … what the hell!'

Both girls turned to look at Damon to where he stood a few paces behind them. Looking at each other they both turned to him and shrugged together. This only confused Damon more and of course the girls laughed even harder.

Author Note – I was trying to think of a flower that wouldn't be cliché to place on her parents grave and, given how easily distracted I can be, I found a site where the meaning of flowers and their images stood side by side. For the sweetpea I read the following:

SWEETPEA -

Good-bye, Departure, Blissful Pleasure, Thank You for a Lovely Time

Given where I know I'm going with this story I thought this flower was exactly what was needed. I love how a little bit of thought behind these things can lead to something more meaningful. Also the spell cast by Bonnie is a Latin translation of the following rhyme:

_Light be seen_

_Light be bright_

_Dismiss [Remove] this darkness from your sight_

For some reason there is no Latin word for 'remove' and so I've had to substitute 'remove' with 'dismiss' instead. I'm sorry to say that I don't know Latin but I found a cool translation site for the rhyme.

This chapter did start out a bit angtsy but I like the way it has ended so I thought better than to change it. I hope you like – if you do let me know with reviews


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8 – Those who see the light….Get Sunspots!

The ride home was interesting, to say the least. The girls refused to let go of each other or the after effect the magic that flowed minutely between them still gave off. The adrenaline hadn't passed and they were still grinning at each other like Cheshire cats, but only when Damon wouldn't see them in the mirror. He had insisted on driving them to the Boarding house to discuss what had happened. They felt like children on the way to the headmaster's office but just like those naughty children on the verge of getting the chastisement, they revelled in the thrill being bad had given them. Granted they had taken a risk in meeting, just the two of them, in the cemetery without telling anyone what they had planned but they had held their ground when attack by whatever unseen enemy was currently coming at them through Elena. For now they would thrill quietly in the backseat of Bonnie's car and try their best to not giggle inanely. Mostly.

Damon didn't waste any time when they finally arrived at the Boarding house. Getting out of the driver's seat he slammed the door shut behind him and pivoted the back door open for the girls to get out. They didn't dare move until Damon stormed off towards the house. His temper, with the help of his ingrained manners, however did make him stay to hold the front door to the house open for them. Once he had marched them into the den, ordered the girls to sit he proceeded to pour himself a drink of 1976 Glen Craig. Taking a seat on the sofa opposite, the now completely sober Elena and Bonnie, he took a sip and begun.

'Now that you seem to have regained some sense between you, you can explain what happened. I'll know if you leave anything out' he shrugged,' just warning you'.

The girls looked at each other and seemed to be thinking the same thing when Bonnie looked about ready to burst out laughing only to stifle her chuckles as Elena shook her head. Elena took a moment to compose herself and pick at the imaginary dust from her trousers. After a deep breathe she began,

'Damon I called Bonnie to help me find out what has been happening over the past few months. In all honesty I don't think it is something that can be fought off with stakes and vervain this time. Whatever has been happening has been on a sub-conscious, and most likely a spiritual, level. I thought that Bonnie could help point me in the right direction'. Damon fought the urge to twitch as this mention of 'I' throughout Elena's explanation.

'And what makes you think that it wouldn't come after the two of you instead?' he realised his anger was seeping from his control but he was beyond caring right now. Stupidity needed to be stopped dead.

'When do we ever know we are going to be attacked? Especially since whatever it is doesn't seem to want to be seen yet.' Realising that Bonnie was not as fault here she thought it better she didn't receive the brunt of Damon's anger. 'Damon, Bonnie was only trying to help a friend.'

Damon knew exactly what Elena was trying to say and he was perfectly fine dressing down the perpetrator rather than the accomplice. Rather than giving Bonnie or Elena any kind of answer he took the opportunity to refill his glass. Elena walked Bonnie to the door,

'Will you be ok? I can wait and drive you home, if you want '

'I'll be fine,' Elena reassured as she gave her friend a hug goodbye, 'he's just frustrated that he didn't get in on any of the action'. They both smiled at the lighter tone and waved their goodbyes. Elena headed back to den only to find Damon wasn't there anymore. His glass was still waiting to be filled and all the bottles of liquor hadn't been moved. Turning around so that the table was as her back, Elena looked around the room.

'Damon?'

No answer came. She didn't find him in the kitchen and she didn't hear any creaking from the floor boards that might indicate that anyone was moving around upstairs. Two thoughts came to mind – either he had run out on an errand that he had forgotten about (code for he didn't want to carry on the discussion he had started) or he was still here and didn't want to be heard. She really hoped that he had just skipped out on her. Elena headed upstairs to check the rooms in the hope that she was wrong. As time ticked by and she checked each room for any trace of Damon she began to get nervous. For some reason she began to panic thinking the absolute worse although logically she was trying to rationalise where he might be. The only room she hadn't yet checked had been Damon's own room which was at the bottom of the hall on the opposite side. Heading towards the door which was slightly ajar she called out his name.

'Damon, are you in here?' she heard nothing as she put her head around the door. Nothing, but the wind coming through his open windows causing the voile coverings to dance slightly with almost a will of their own. His bed was made up, there was no one in the en-suite and his jacket had been thrown over the cosy leather chair. It was too quiet. By now she was standing in the middle of the room facing the window with Damon's bed to her right and his bathroom to her left. The wind had quietened down to match the complete silence that filed the house. There was now no movement at all in the room besides the rise and fall of Elena's breathing which was now beginning to quicken. _There! _As she turned to see whatever had moved out of the corner of her eye was gone in the time it had taken for her to turn and face it. It appeared again on her other side and again she couldn't get more than a very slight glimpse before it was gone again. She was now glimpsing the intruder now was occurring more often as time ticked on and each time it seemed to be getting closer and closer to her. Just when she thought that it was ready to strike nothing happened. The silence returned and everything was still. Elena gasped as the panic and adrenaline shot through her preparing her for the attack that never came. She strained her hearing to find her attacker and jumped at imaginary sounds that her mind told her where the threat might come from. Until now her fear had kept her stuck to her spot in the middle of Damon's room but no she began to realise that she could in fact flee from the house. Lifting her one foot, which curiously felt like it was stuck in quicksand she began to turn towards the door. She didn't see what happened next, it happened much too fast for her human eyes to catch. One minute she was heading towards the door and the next she was on his bed with a weight over the top of her, her hands restrained above her head and a hand at her throat. Refusing to give in easily she screamed, kicked, twisted for purchase and all the while tears streamed down her cheeks. She heard hiss above her as she realised her attacker was pinning her to Damon's bed but although she tried desperately to get out of her current position she realised that there was no change. The hand grasping her throat merely tightened its hold on her. In response to the unspoken threat she remained still and realised that she had held her eyes firmly shut as soon as the attack had reached its climax. She felt exhaled breathe against her cheek and traced its progress as it moved to her nook between her ear and where her neck met her collarbone and shoulder. The hand at her throat moved and was replaced with the graze of fangs across her neck. She whimpered.

_Vampire… her attacker was a vampire._

But the knowledge didn't comfort her as she realised she could very well be coming to the end of her time. The fangs were leisurely grazing across her throat tormenting her as she waited to feel the piercing sting that would come when feeding time was here. The tension in her body did not ease when she felt the warm breathe brush by her ear,

'The big bad wolf has finally come for you,' came the husky grizzle in her ear. 'Not so soothing hmm' of all things that could have happened next she didn't think it would be a chuckle.

Her eyes shot open and she screamed, 'Damon you heartless, manipulative son of a … !' her curse didn't have the affect she wanted and a relieved sob shook her but he still wouldn't let her move. He did however stop chuckling. Not wanting him to see her cry, she turned her head towards the duvet cushioning her head and continued to sob.

'You should apologise Elena'

Facing him to give him a rather impressive glare, Elena practical spat the words out,' Excuse me!'

'You heard me. You think you can just go traipsing through Mystic Falls looking for trouble and it not find you. What were you both thinking? That you would simply shake hands after a cordial conversation on how you would like to not be hunted anymore! Snap out of it Elena!'

Damon's anger snapped Elena out of her grief-stricken horror and shot her straight to wanting to tear his pretty blue eyes out.

'It wasn't like that!'

'Then what was it like then?'

'We went there because it is neutral ground! We didn't think anything could or would happen there. It's the safest place that I can think of'

Pissed that she would think a piece of earth full of dead bodies more protection than coming to him for help only insighted his anger further.

'You were wrong. If Bonnie hadn't been there you would have been killed'

'Then I guess you missed the part where we both cast the spell'

Raising an eyebrow, 'you have magic?' he didn't seem convinced.

'Actually, I do'

'Since when, exactly?'

'Since Jenna …since she passed'

'Go on'

She shrugged as best she could in her position and realising it was slightly lacking she sighed, 'It was an idea that Bonnie suggested when we were all hanging out one night. We were talking about the defences we had between us should Klaus decide that he had forgotten something in Mystic Falls. Alaric has his contacts and weapons, Jeremy has the family ring, Bonnie her magic and you and Caroline are vampires. I was the only one who didn't really have anything to hand that I could use should something happen and none of you were around. Bonnie had read that all creatures of nature have magic although some were ingrained with the ability to tap into it more than others. Bonnie wanted to see if she could help me get in touch with it she was right I can'

'How did you help with the spell that was cast earlier?'

'Bonnie cast the spell. I channelled energy into the spell to magnify the affect.'

'You have magic but you're not able to cast spells?' he smirked as if finding the faulty crux of her argument

'No I can cast spells but some of them have been unstable. Bonnie suggested more control over my ability to channel before I cast another spell so we have been working on my control over the past few months.'

'You shouldn't have been playing with magic to being with. Its unstable Elena! Bonnie has only been able to master it at her current level because of the family trait and the time she has spent studying her grandma's grimoires. Why didn't tell me about this?'

'Because I knew you would react like this!'

'Damn right I would act like this! Another fine example of you taking unnecessary risks!'

'It wasn't a risk if we defeated the threat'

'And what if there had been a greater cost than a temporary high from the adrenaline and magic combined?'

'The burden was shared and Bonnie said it was safe'

He snarled at that, 'there was no way for Bonnie to tell if it was safe or not. The rate that thing was growing could have easily tipped the scale the other way. You could have both been killed. What is wrong with you?'

'Get off me!' she screamed at him as she realised that they were still laid on his bed. She felt completely vulnerable in their current position and she needed to be on equal footing.

'Not until you admit you were wrong'

'No!'

'No? Then you really haven't learned anything today. Not when confronted with the danger earlier and not when I hunted you. Definitely not now in your current position.' Looking at her, something shifted behind his expression.

Something that was more predatory.

Something that actually did make her more than a little bit nervous.

'Being in the hands of a predator is not something to be taken lightly Elena.' With that said he closed the distance between them and engulfed her lips in a hard punishing kiss. He was brutal and unforgiving as he kissed her thoroughly. Taken back by this change Elena squirmed to get him off her. The passion that his attention was igniting in her was something she had truly feared over the past few months and was not something she wanted to pay much attention to. But she could not escape him in their current position, he didn't seem to want to allow that. She was at his mercy and it both scared and thrilled her. So much so that she couldn't help but respond to his attentions.

Damon of course took further advantage of the situation and once she parted her lips deepened the kiss even further. It did nothing but ignite that hidden part in the two of them. Kissing wasn't enough. The lesson had been learned but not the one he had intended to impart. For the life of him though he couldn't remember what lesson that was. Not while he had Elena pinned beneath him moaning out her need to be closer to him. With her body the arced to feel him closer to her, the body's request for skin on skin. He couldn't deny her that and ground his body against her own. The electricity that shot through him reconnected him with whatever sanity was left over in him. He couldn't let them continue like this. He had to get away from this now and quickly. So he left her with her body awakened laying on his bed and crying. She cried for him, for the ache she had never felt in herself and for the lesson she had learned.

Author note: I don't know about anyone else but I've always wondered why the writers haven't given something for Elena to contribute to the group. That is besides being the doppelganger and everyone wanting to kill her. The whole getting into trouble and having to be saved gets old really quickly so I've given her an ability to train and develop over the coming story. Besides being in love and having a connection to each character she doesn't really contribute that much to the show. Plus I'm tired of saying 'Oh poor Damon!' at the end of every episode. The third season starts over here in September and so hopefully with Stefan out of the picture things might spark off between Elena and Damon.

Anyway this is most definitely what I would have done with the new series and so please let me know what you think and if you have any suggestions on where this might go. The really good ones I may just work in. My other half has already guessed where the story is heading, well just about, but I've been told its only because he knows me. Ok I'm going to leave it there for today. Enjoy!


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